B.C. workers benefit from minimum wage increase

VICTORIA – B.C.’s minimum wage will increase to $10.25 per hour on Tuesday, May 1, Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government Margaret MacDiarmid confirmed.

At the same time, the minimum wage rate for liquor servers will increase to $9.00 per hour.

This is the third increase to the minimum wage over the past year, and follows on Premier Christy Clark’s commitment in March 2011 to increase minimum wage in three stages to $10.25 per hour by May 1, 2012, providing more support for B.C. workers and families in every region of the province.

Non-hourly rates paid to camp leaders, live-in home support workers and resident caretakers will be adjusted at the same time in proportion to the increase in minimum wage.

Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government Margaret MacDiarmid – “British Columbians who made $8.00 per hour last year, could now have more than an additional $4,000 in their pockets this year. That’s good news for individuals and families- and that’s good news for the economy.”

“By listening to employers, giving them lots of advance notice, and staging the increase in small increments over the past year, we were also able to help businesses plan effectively for the change.”

Lucia Orser, UVIC Students Society, director external relations –

“I’m very pleased with the increase. Over half of minimum wage earners are young people aged 15 to 24 – many of them students.”

“This increase in minimum wage will help to support them as they prepare and plan for funding their post-secondary education.”